Floor cleansing device



Oct. 29, 1963 E. R. BALLANTYNE 3,108,312

7 FLOOR CLEANSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 29, 1961 28d 26 39-- 240 i! 280 28b Q I80 '3 28 23 24b I INVENTOR EARNES T R. BALLANTY/VE United States Patent 3,108,312 FLGQR CLEANSING DEVICE Earnest R. Baliantyne, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to Wayne Chemical Company, a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 29, 1961, Ser. No. 134,596 4 Claims. (Cl. -525) This invention relates generally to floor covering cleansing devices and specifically to a new and improved method and means of dispensing the cleansing agent on the material to be cleansed to facilitate the brush action in the cleansing device.

This application relates to and is an improvement on my co-pending application, Serial Number 123,800, filed July 13, 1961, for Floor Cleansing Device. In my copending application I disclosed the unique principle of converting the detergent material to suds or foam prior to application to the floor covering. Ey only applying foam to the material to be cleansed, the material remains comparatively dry thereby removing the danger of shrinkage and rapid subsequent soiling. Also, a uniform application of cleanser is applied and only the detergent that is used is dispensed.

To utilize this basic principle, I have disclosed in my co-pending application apparatus that generally comprises a detergent storage tank, a pump means for convetting the detergent to foam and a foam applicator. The pump means is actuated by the movement of the fioor contacting mechanism. Although the system of my co-pending application is fully operable and will readily adapt itself, I have now found the apparatus for converting the detergent to foam can be greatly simplified and improved upon.

In my present invention I have provided a method and means of incorporating the pump-mechanism directly into the handle of the cleansing device. have eliminated the necessity of driving the pump with the movement of the wheels on the floor activator. Consequently, the linking mechanisms and its other attendant mechanical movements are also missing. The only force necessary to be exerted in my present invention is that of imparting the brush action directly to the floor.

Accordingly, it is a general object of my present invention to provide a new and improved floor cleansing device that utilizes the basic principle of applying only detergent foam to the material to be cleansed.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a mechanism that comprises only a minimum number of movable parts.

It is another object of my invention to provide a cleansing device that utilizes a foam generator that is not linked to the movement of the foam applicator.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a floor cleansing device that is simple in operation and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which,

FIG. 1 is an over-all illustration in perspective of a preferred embodiment of my invention.

FIG. 2 is the handle actuating mechanism for the pump driving foam generator shown generally in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is the foam generator of FIG. 1 shown in cutaway schematic, and

FIG. 4 is an alternative embodiment of the handle actuator mechanism for the pump driving foam generator shown generally in FIG. 1.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 1, there is shown in perspective a preferred embodiment of my present invention. The embodiment comprises a handle generally shown at 15 having supported thereon a liquid detergent storage tank 29, a pump mechanism lit for converting In this way I the detergent to foam and an applicator for applying the foam to the floor covering at or other material desired to be cleansed.

In operation of my present invention when the mechanism is pushed forward manual force M opposing friction F causes the gripping portion iii of the handle 15 to telescope and thereby acting as a pump for the foam generator 29. The generated foam is then dispensed directly to the floor covering 40 as the cleansing agent.

The gripping portion 10 of the handle 15 which is the pump or actuating mechanism for the foam generator is shown in cutaway cross-section in FIG. 2, to which reference is now had. When the mechanism is pushed forward the handle 15 telescopes within the upper housing 11. The outer diameter of the handle 15 is just slightly less than theinner diameter of the upper portion housing 11 to permit freedom of movement and yet to not permit chattering.

Coaxially positioned within the upper housing 11 is compression plunger rod 13. This rod is permanently aifixed at 33 to the uppermost cap 31 of the housing 11. At the other end of rod 13 is compression plunger 29. Adjacent the upper end of rod 13 there is afixed thereto a double collar 19 and 1%. Freely positioned between collar 19 and 19a is a disc 17 that is permitted to rotate around the rod 13.

At the uppermost part of the lower handle 15 there is cap 27 having an aperture therein 35 to freely receive the rod 13. Positioned between the disc 17 and the cap 27 is spring 21. It may be preferred to fasten the spring 21 to the disc 17 and cap 27. In the operation of foam generator Zii when the rod 13 is pushed in the compression plunger 2 forming a close contact to the inner Walls 24a and 24b of the pump compresses the air in chamber 37. This action causes a build up of air in chamber 19 formed by bulkheads l8 and 26. The ball valve 18a in the bulkhead 18 prevents the air escaping back into chamber 37 on the reverse stroke of the compression plunger 29. The air in chamber 19 is forced into tank 22 through outlet 8 causing the liquid to rise in the tube 14 and out orifice 28 d at the top end of the tube 14. A portion of the air in chamber 19 is also forced through the ports 28b and 280 located on either side of tube 14 a short distance from its top end. The air entering 23b and 28c assists the spraying action and mixture of air and fluid at orifice 28a. The liquid and air expelled from 23d strikes the inner walls of nozzle 28 and is forced through port 28:: in a fine spray. This spray is forced through the fine mesh screen 39 and is converted into a foam. The foam is then forced, when chamber 41 is filled, out into the transfer means to the floor covering material.

In operation of the mechanisms shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the compression plunger 29 in the handle is pushed forward air is compressed in the foam generator 20. This action causes the liquid detergent to be converted into foam. The lower end of the handle is hollow, that is from the point of the screen 35 to the support mechanism within housing 30. In this way the lower hollow end of handle 15 serves as the transfer means for transfering the foam to the floor covering 40. To stop the foam generation the upper and lower portions of the handle 15 are forced together and locked by the slot 23 engaging 23a.

Although I have shown a certain specific embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications may be had thereto without departing from the spinit and scope of the invention. For instance, the telescopic handle actuator for the pump may be a handle and rod mechanism such as that shown in FIG. 4. In this embodiment the rod '51 moves in an up-and-do wn stroke in centrally positioned apertures in spacers 43 and 47. Aifixed to rod 51 adjacent spacer 47 is an engaging spacer 45 adapted to receive spring 41. The other end of spring 41 abuts fixed spacer 43. Accordingly, when the plunger is pushed forward, the spring 41 will be compressed and thereby on being released return the plunger to its original position. The foaming action may be terminated by pushing the plunger 49 forward and locking the pin 57 on handle 53 to the catch 55. In either embodiment of FIG. 1 or FIG. 4 the detergent is converted to foam by the normal back-and-forth movement of the user of the floor cleanser. In this way the force applied to the foam applicator is wholly imported to the brushes and not lost in mechanical mechanisms linked to the moving wheels.

What is claimed is:

1. A cleansing device comprising a housing having an enlarged workpiece contacting means and an elongated handle attached thereto, a liquid detergent storage tank positioned adjacent said handle, said handle including a two member section, a spring for yieldingly urging said two members apart, and an air compression plunger positioned in a first one of said members and fixedly connected to the other of said members and adapted to compress air in said first member upon movement of the other of said members, and means for forcibly introducing said air into said liquid detergent storage tank, a chamber connected to said tank, air-liquid detergent mixing means in said chamber, said air pressure built up in said tank forcing said liquid detergent and said air into said mixing means, impedance means in said chamber adapted to receive said mixture and to convert said mixture of air and detergent to foam, foam transfer means connecting said chamber to said enlarged contacting means for directing said liquid detergent foam to the workpiece.

2. A cleansing device comprising a housing having an enlarged workpiece contacting means and an elongated handle attached thereto, a liquid detergent storage tank positioned adjacent said handle, said handle including a first member and a second member adapted to receive said first member, a spring for yieldingly urging said first and second members apart, and an air compression plunger fixedly connected to said second member and adapted to compress air in said first member upon movement of said second member, and means for forcibly introducing said air into said liquid detergent storage tank, a chamber connected to said tank, air liquid detergent mixing means in said chamber, said air pressure built up in said tank forcing said liquid detergent and said air into said mixing means, impedance means in said chamber adapted to receive said mixture and to convert said mixture of air and detergent to foam, foam transfer means connecting said chamber to said enlarged contacting means for directing said liquid detergent foam to the workpiece.

3. A cleansing device as set forth in claim 1 further including a pin in one of said members and an elongated slot in the other of said members adapted to receive said pin to confine the relative movements of said members, said slot further comprises a relatively small lateral slot to lock in said pin in said first member.

4. A cleansing device comprising a housing having an enlarged workpiece contacting means and an elongated handle attached thereto, a liquid detergent storage tank positioned adjacent said handle, said handle including a first member and a second member adapted to receive said first member, an air compression plunger positioned in said first member, a rod connecting said plunger to said second member, and a spring positioned within said first member and contacting said second member for yieldingly urging said first and second members apart, said plunger adapted to compress air in said first member upon movement of second member, and means for forcibly introducing said air into said liquid detergent storage tank, a chamber connected to said tank, air-liquid detergent mixing means in said chamber, said air pressure built up in said tank forcing said liquid detergent and said air into said mixing means, impedance means in said chamber adapted to receive said mixture and to convert said mixture of air and detergent to foam, foam transfer means connecting said chamber to said enlarged contacting means for directing said liquid detergent foam to the workpiece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 938,362 Anderson Oct. 26, 1909 2,636,204 Soss Apr. 28, 1953 2,735,125 Erbs Feb. 21, 1956 2,975,462 Yonkers et al. Mar. 21, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 330,744 France July 7, 1903 774,294 France Sept. 17, 1934 

1. A CLEANSING DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING AN ENLARGED WORKPIECE CONTACTING MEANS AND AN ELONGATED HANDLE ATTACHED THERETO, A LIQUID DETERGENT STORAGE TANK POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID HANDLE, SAID HANDLE INCLUDING A TWO MEMBER SECTION, A SPRING FOR YIELDINGLY URGING SAID TWO MEMBERS APART, AND AN AIR COMPRESSION PLUNGER POSITIONED IN A FIRST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS AND FIXEDLY CONNECTED TO THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS AND ADAPTED TO COMPRESS AIR IN SAID FIRST MEMBER UPON MOVEMENT OF THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS, AND MEANS FOR FORCIBLY INTRODUCING SAID AIR INTO SAID LIQUID DETERGENT STORAGE TANK, A CHAMBER CONNECTED TO SAID TANK, AIR-LIQUID DETERGENT MIXING MEANS IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID AIR PRESSURE BUILT UP IN SAID TANK FORCING SAID LIQUID DETERGENT AND SAID AIR INTO SAID MIXING MEANS, IMPEDANCE MEANS IN SAID CHAMBER ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID MIXTURE AND TO CONVERT SAID MIXTURE OF AIR AND DETERGENT TO FOAM, FOAM TRANSFER MEANS CONNECTING SAID CHAMBER TO SAID ENLARGED CONTACTING MEANS FOR DIRECTING SAID LIQUID DETERGENT FOAM TO THE WORKPIECE. 